Mariah Carey to mentor U.S. 'X Factor' contestants?

We’ve already heard word that Mariah Carey is expected to participate in Simon Cowell’s U.S. premiere season of The X Factor in some capacity. Now, sources are saying that Carey might stay on to mentor the contestants throughout the season.

A show insider told EW, “Mariah and Simon are great friends, and now [that] she has had her babies, it’s very possible that she will be involved [in] some way in the later stages of the show. She has always said she wanted to work with the show, so it’s something they will certainly be discussing ideas for soon.”

Cowell continues to express his desire for Carey to join the show, telling press, “I think Mariah will have a role on the TV live shows. I met her recently and she was on great form. And her idea was to be the judge of the judges, which only Mariah could come up with.”

He added, “She’ll be involved in some form. I literally adore her. I love her to bits.”

Already on board to judge the talent competition is Pussycat Dolls frontwoman Nicole Scherzinger, music mogul L.A. Reid, and Cowell’s former American Idol cohort Paula Abdul. The show premieres Sept. 21 on Fox.